Multiple range instrument having change speed gearing to operate a movable indicator



:3. FRYKLUND 0 Sept. 4, 1956 R.

MULTIPLE RANGE IN TRUMENT HAVING CHANGE SPEED EARING TO OPERATE A MOVABLE INDICATOR Flled Aprll 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l NOFGJQUWO /A/l/EA/-7'0R ROBERT n. my 04/0 /7 5y mm 80* HTTORAM'Y Sept. 4, 1956 0 2 4 t 0 a Q a 2 a D m m s S 3 E G N A H C DG m um H K m mm m AS .N RI E I MULTIPLE RANG GEARING TO OPERATE A MOVABLE INDICAT Flled April 29, 1952 INVENTOR ROEERT l9. FRYfi'Ll/IY er ($2M ATTOR/V y S p 4, 1956 R. A. FRYKLUND 2,762,040

MULTIPLE RANGE INSTRUMENT HAVING CHANGE SPEED GEARING TO OPERATE A MOVABLE INDICATOR Filed April 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3

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flTTOR/VEY W PR United States Eatent O MULTIPLE RANGE INSTRUMENT HAVING CHANGE SPEED GEARING TO OPERATE A MOVABLE INDICATOR Robert A. Fryklund, Dedham, Mass., assignor to Raytheon Manufacturing Company, Newton, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application April 29, 1952, Serial No. 285,006

4 Claims. (Cl. 340-378) This invention relates to an instrument having convenient range-changing means and, more particularly, relates to a multiple-range instrument of the type having a movable indicating member whose velocity may be changed simply and conveniently by predetermined amounts.

In the field of echo depth-sounding instruments of the indicating and recording types, it is desirable to provide a two-range instrument, such as an instrument having both a foot range and a fathom range, while using the same calibration figures of the scale. In this way, problems of calibration are simplified, the instrument may be read more easily and quickly, and the possibility of error inherent in multi-scale instruments is minimized.

Recording type depth-measuring instruments are exemplified by the device described in application, Ser. No. 199,905, of Fryklund, filed October 6, 1949, and instruments of the indicating type by the device described in U. S. Patent No. 2,410,065, to Harrison. Briefly, the movable system in the recording-type instrument preferably comprises a pair of grooved pulleys, one of which is driven by some form of prime mover; said pulleys carry a conductive belt to which a stylus is attached. Each time one of the stylus holders passes beneath a set of keying contact fingers, it keys an electronic oscillator. The output signal from the driver is fed to a transducer which converts the electrical pulses from the oscillator into compressional waves which are directed toward the object Whose distance is to be measured. The returning echos are received by the same transducer and converted back into electrical pulses which, after amplification and detection, are allowed to pass through said stylus and electrically-conducting chart paper. The initial pulse is transmitted at the instant the stylus point is at zero on the chart and a mark is made on the paper at this instant. Since the belt continues to revolve and carry the stylus further down the paper during the time interval required for the return of the echo, the stylus is in a new position on the paper upon receipt of said echo. I A mark is made on the paper at this instant, thereby indicating the depth from which the echo was returned.

The moving system of the indicating type instrument preferably comprises a driven wheel which carries a lamp and keying segment. The passage of said segment across a stationary set of contacts causes the initiation of a compressional wave signal which is transmitted and refiected from the distant object. The lamp is illuminated in response to a received signal from said object and the angular displacement of the spot of light showing through a transparent calibrated scale serves to indicate depth.

The speed of the driven member, in either case, must be reduced by a factor of six to one in order to convert from the foot range to the fathom range. Possible means of effecting a speed changing in the moving indicating member of either type of instrument comprises either a manual gear shift and a suitably arranged gear train or a gear train designed with various arrangements of over- 2,762,040 Patented Sept. l, 1 956 simple speed changer involving a clutch and a cooperating planetary gear assembly which has none of the above disadvantages and is relatively simple. The speed is shifted normally by means of a lever without gear meshing or stopping the driving motor. The speed may be shifted rapidly from one speed to the other without dangerous clashing of gears or shock to the system because the clutches pick up the change in load gradually. In addition, the disengagement of the clutches and a braking of a portion of the planetary gear assembly may be accomplished by the use of a single lever.

The drive shaft which is driven at a speed that provides the desired foot range forms the common axis of the planetary system. On it is floated a first wheel that carries a planetary gear. This wheel can rotate relative to the shaft, but its axial position is fixed on the shaft. An insulating rim is mounted on the periphery of this wheel and serves either as an insulator for the belt when the wheel is grooved for use in an indicating type belt recorder or as an insulator for the contact fingers and the insulating rim also serves as a clutch face in contact 7 with the side of an annular gear which forms the other face of the clutch for either the recorder or indicator.

A pinion gear is keyed to the shaft, forming one collar which fixes the axial position of the first wheel, and is part of the planetary system. The annular gear is mounted on a second wheel that is provided with a clutch collar on the hub. This second wheel is free to rotate onthe shaft, and can also be moved axially for the purpose of disengaging the clutch formed by the first-mentioned wheel and the annular gear carried on the second wheel. The latter is normally forced against the first wheel, a spring and thrust-bearing collar being provided on the second wheel to supply the axial force and thus locking the two wheels together. In this position the planetary gear train is locked and inoperable and the first or driven wheel is forced to rotate at the speed of the drive shaftor at the foot speed.

A clutch fork is arranged to engage the clutch collar on the second wheel and withdraw it axially, against the force of the spring, away from the first wheel. The clutch is thus disengaged and the first wheel is free to move with the planetary gear. In addition, the shoes of the clutch fork, as they are forced against the collar in shifting, serve as brake shoes in frictional engagement with said collar, thereby bringing the second wheel to a stop. The annular gear which is mounted on this wheel is also stopped. The pinion continues to rotate at the shaft speed and, in carrying the planetary gear around of Fig. 2;

as a piece of heavy copper wire, is inserted within bushing and fits tightly therein. A long-wearing, electrically-conductive sleeve 52 is soldered to the ends of conductor 51 and ground smooth. Both ends of shaft 15 may be finished alike. The Shaft itself is grounded at at least one point.

An electrically-insulating connection block is mounted on wheel 10 by a pair of screws 61. An electrically-conductive spring contact 62 is attached at one end to block 60 by a screw 63. The other end of spring contact 62 is adapted to resiliently engage one end of conductor 51. A metal bracket 64 is fastened against the metallic portion 6 of wheel 10 by the aforesaid block 60. Hub 6' of wheel 10 is connected electrically to grounded shaft 15 by a metallic spring clip 65 which is retained between the retaining rings separating the bearings of bearing set 21. One end of spring clip 65 rests against rotating shaft 15 and the other engages the inner surface of hub 6'.

' A conventional bayonet type lamp socket 66 is mounted With its outer shell directly contacting the free end of bracket 64. The inner conductor 67 of socket 66 is connected to a small metal lug or bracket 68. An electrically-insulating washer 69 isolates the two socket terminals. A neon lamp 70 is held within socket 66. A flexible wire lead 71 is soldered to lug 68 and the mounted end of spring contact 62. At the end of shaft 15 remote from 62 a second spring contact 72 is mounted by a bolt 74 at one end of a bracket 73 which is attached to the housing of reduction gear 12 by conventional mounting means. An electrical connection 115 to detector 103 (to be described later) is attached to lug 99, as shown in Fig. 4. This end of shaft 15 is clearly shown in Fig. 4.

A keying assembly for the instrument comprises a pair of resilient contact members 75 and 76 embedded in an insulating block 77 which is attached to contact adjusting arm 78 by a screw (not shown). The block 77 is clamped in a position between lateral contact adjusting arm 78 and a portion of the lamp zero adjustment lever 79 by means of an adjusting screw 80 and nut 81. The lateral-position of contacts 75 and 76 may be adjusted by loosening nut 81 and moving arm 78 within slot 89 in lever 79. A pair of leads 82 and 83 has one end connected to one end of contact members 75 and 76, respectively, and the other end to a pair of binding screws 85 and 84, respectively, which are attached to Zero adjustment lever 79. Connections (not shown) to electronic oscillator 100 (described later) are also connected to binding screws 84 and 85. Lever 79 is adapted to rotate about the reduced section of the housing of reduction gear 12, and may be clamped to panel 41 at any desired angular position by means of clamp 86 cooperating with a screw 87 and adjusting nut 88. The purpose of zero adjustment lever 79 will be described later. The keying assembly finally includes insert 89 made of an electricallyconductive material and embedded in electrically-insulating rim 8 of wheel 10.

The instrument dial 90 comprises a circular glass plate which, except for the narrow circular portion or slit 91, is rendered opaque to light, as by painting with black paint. The flashes of light of neon lamp 70 show through transparent slit 91 of glass dial 90. The instrument scale comprises a series of index markings 92 marked in white paint over the portion of dial 90 adjacent transparent slit 91.

At each revolution of wheel 10, contacts 75 and 76 pass over electrically-conductive insert 89 in the rim of wheel 10. These contacts are connected to an electronic oscillator 160 which is keyed atthe instant of bridging of contacts 75 and 76 by insert 89. The electrical impulses from oscillator 160 are fed to transducer 101 which convert the electrical pulses into compressional waves which are directed toward the object whose distance is to be measured, such as the bottom of a harbor. At the same time, the output of oscillator is fed to an amplifier 102 and detector 103 and the detected output spring contact 62, lead 71, inner terminal of neon lamp 70, outer terminal of lamp 70, socket 66, bracket 64,

metallic portion 6 of wheel 10, grounding spring clip 65 (not shown in Fig. 1) and grounded shaft 15.

The returning echos are picked up by transducer 101 and converted back into electrical pulses which are fed to an amplifier 102. The latter increases the power of the received pulse sutficiently to operate neon lamp 70. The amplified pulse 102, after detection in detector 103, is applied to neon lamp 70 through the circuit previously described. By proper adjustment of the lamp zero adjustment lever 79, the keying contacts are so positioned relative to the keying insert 89 in rim 8 that the initial pulse is transmitted at the instant that lamp 70--carried on indicator wheel 10is opposite the zero point on dial scale 92. Since wheel 10 continues to revolve at a constant speed, determined by the position of gear and clutch assembly 5, the neon lamp is carried to a new position when the echo pulse lights it. The distance traversed by the echo pulse is obtained by observing the index marking 92 opposite the flashing light.

Although the description so far has been limited to the indicating type instrument, the speed change device may be incorporated in a recording instrument of the type previously referred to. As shown in Fig. 6, wheel 10 is grooved to hold a moving belt which carries a stylus (not shown) past a record chart. Wheel 10 2 serves as a driving pulley and another similar pulley is used in conjunction therewith for carrying moving belt 110. Wheel 10 is driven by a motor, a portion of whose shaft housing 111 is shown in Fig. 6. The gear and 'clutch assembly 5 is the same as for the indicating type instrument except that the thrust collar bearing 128 is re- 3 tained by a retaining screw 112.

This invention is not limited to the particular details of construction, materials and processes described, as 7 many equivalents will suggest themselves to those'skilled in the art. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims be given a broad interpretation commensurate with the scope of the invention within the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A dual range distance measuring device particularly adapted for use with pulse echo distance or depth measuring systems comprising a single stationary indicator dial containing only one set of index marks which can be used with one or the other of two sets of numerical indicia corresponding to different distance measuring ranges, an indicator device adapted to produce a visible indication against said dial in response to a received impulse, means for producing continuous motion of said indicator device past said indicator dial at one of two speeds dependent upon the particular range desired, and means for selecting one of said two speeds including a planetary gear speed changer and a single control device for changing the ratio of said speed changer, said speed changer including a first clutch member carrying said indicating device and a second clutchmember engaging said first clutch member only when said control device is in one of two positions, said second clutch member being disengaged from said first clutch member when said control device is in the other of said two positions.

2. A dual range distance measuring device particularly adapted for use with pulse echo distance or depth measuring systems comprising a single stationary indicator dial containing only one set of index marks which can be used with one or the other of two sets of numerical indicia corresponding to different distance measuring ranges, an indicator device adapted to produce a visible indication against said dial in response to a received impulse, means for producing continuous motion of said indicator device past said indicator dial at one of two speeds dependent upon the particular range de v weaned sized, and means .fior selecting oneof said .two speeds including. a planetary gear speed changer and a single. control. device for ;changing the ratio of: said speed changer, saidvspeed changerincluding a first Qlutchmember carrying said indicating device and a second. clutch member engaging said first clutch member only when said control device is. in one of *two positions, said second clutch member :being disengaged from said first clutch member when said control .device is in the other. of said twopositions, said first clutch member carrying a :planetary ,gear, said second clutch member carrying an annular gear andmounted for "azdalmovement along said. shaft, said shaft having fixedly attached thereto a pinion gear which at all times .is in engagement withsaid planetary gear and said annular gear.

.3. .A dual. range distancemeasuring. device particularly adapted for :use with pulseecho .distance for depth measuring systems comprising, a single stationary indicator dial containing only one set of index marks, which can be used with one or the other of twosets .ofnumerical indicia corresponding to different distance measuring ranges, an indicator device adapted-to produce a visible indication against saiddialin response to a received pulse, means for producing continuous motion of said indicator device past said indicator dial. at one of two speeds dependent upon the particular ,range desired, and means for selecting one of said two speeds including atplanetary gear speed changer anda single control device .for changing the ratio of said speed changer, said speed .changer including a first clutch member carrying saidindicating device and a secondclutch member engaging .said first clutch member only when said control device is in one of two positions, said second clutch member being disengaged from said first clutch member whensaidcontrol device is in the other of said two positions, said first clutch member carrying a planetary gear, said second clutch member carrying an annular gear andmounted for axial movement along said shaft, said shaft having fixedly attached thereto a piniongear which at all times is inengagement with said planetary gear-and said annular gear, said first clutch memberineluding ans-.electricallyiiusulated outer. por ion terrains ne clutch fia ei a p rt nent sa d an ul s avx qrm ne he other cluteh face.

.A dual rang t nce measuring de i e pantin larly adapted for use with pulse. echo distance ,or depth measuring systems comprising a single stationary indicator dial containing only one set of index .xnarks which can be used withpneor the other ofi two. sets of, numeri cal indicia corresponding to different distance measuring ranges, an indicator device. adapted to produce a visible indication against said ,dial in response to a. received impulse, means; for producing continuous, motion oi said indicator device past said indicator dial at .one of two. speeds dependent ,upon the particular range. desired and means for selecting one of. :saidtwo speedsim eluding apianetary gearspeedchanger and ,a single control device .for changing the ratio of said speed changer, said speed changer including a first clutch member carrying said indicating device and a second clutch member engaging said first clutch member only when said control device is in one of two positions, said second clutch member being disengaged from said first clutch member ,when. said control device is in the other of said two positions, said second clutch member including a hub portion which slotted to receive a portion of said control device and which 'is recessed .to receive a clutch spring, said second clutch ,member at one end of said clutch spring being restrained against axial movement along ,said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,240,318 ."Gopeland Sept. 18, 19.17

1,631,458 :Belden June 7, 1927 2,350,994 Anderson June 13, 1944 2,397,175 White Mar. 26, 1946 2,475,363 Turner July 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,053 Great Britain "an... .May 7, 1914 

